Where does “string” come from?
string (Middle English) comes from Old English streng, from Proto-Germanic strangiz, from Proto-Indo-European strengʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European ster- — sterile, infertile.
Ancestry of “string”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | streng | string |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | strangiz | string |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | strengʰ- | to twist; rope, cord |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ster- | sterile, infertile |
Words derived from “string”